Hot metal ladle



14, 1943. E. H. WHITTAKER 2,336,518

' HOT METAL LADLE Original Filed July 9, 1941 Fl. a. I FIG. 25

24 I INVENTOR.

Erlwarfi. Hwhifi'aker' I I ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 14, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1942, Serial No. 443,795

6 Claims.

This invention relates to hot metal transporting and pouring equipment for use in foundry plants, and this application is a division of an application for United States patent on foundry plants, filed by me July 9, 1941, Serial Number 401,651.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a hot metal ladle which is comparatively safe in use and constructed to remain in good repair for a considerable length of time with parts, likely to become worn or damaged, easily replaceable.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification and in which drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a hot metal ladle, embodying the invention, pendently supported by a hook.

Figure 2 is a view in vertical section on the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but looking in the opposite direction, and with the valve proper of the ladle, in an open position.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, but with a portion of the ladle broken away and parts shown in section to show preferred details.

The ladle preferably comprises a main body portion 5 provided with a port 6, a lining I and a bail 8 for the body portion 5, and means 9 for controlling the port 6.

The main body port on 5 preferably comprises an outer metallic shell I l including an inverted frusto-conical wall portion H and a bottom 12 in which port 5 is located: trunnions 13 extending outwardly from opposite side of wall portion adjacent the upper margin 14 thereof; and a retaining ring l5 for lining l.

The lining preferably comprises a main body portion 16 of refractory material and a mold H of tin or analogous material having little tendency to adhere to the inner surfaces of shell I!) in which it is nested. This mold, in the example shown, comprises an inverted frusto-conical wall portion it of a height substantially equal to the height of wall portion H, and a bottom 19 resting on bottom 12, the bottom I9 having an opening 20 at port 6. The body I6 is preferably one piece of hardened refractory material, such as fire clay, and in the example shown, comprises an inverted frusto-conical wall portion 2| formed in Divided and this application May 20,

the mold Il short of the upper margin 22 thereof, and a bottom 23 formed upon bottom l9, and provided with a port 24 aligning with opening 25 and port 6.

The ports 6 and 24, and the opening 20 preferably form an inverted frusto-conical outlet way in the bottom of the ladle, as shown in Figure 3. The ring I5 is detachably secured to the body 5 in any suitable manner, such as by screws 25 extending radially thru openings 26 and 21 in the ring and mold, respectively, and having screw threaded engagement in sockets 28 in body 5. The ring extends over the upper margin of the body l6 of refractory material.

Any suitable bail 8 or other means for pendently supporting the ladle may be provided. The bail shown in the drawing, cooperating with trun nions I3, is merely by way of example, and is claimed in my co-pending divisional application for United States patent filed May 20, 1942, Serial Number 443,794.

The means 9 for controlling the ladle port comprises a valve 29, means 39 for operating the valve 29, and means 3| for selectively holding the means 32 against operation, or limiting the extent to which means 32 may be operated.

In the example shown, the valve 29 comprises a metallic head 32 of inverted conical shape, a metallic stem 33 detachably secured thereto, as by having its reduced, screw threaded, lower end portion 34 in screw threaded engagement with a socket 35 in head 32; a coating 33 of refractory material, such as fire clay baked so as to envelop the head 32 and the lower portion of stem 33; and, a sleeve or coating 31 of refractory material enveloping the major portion of stem 33 above coating 36. By this construction, if either coating 36 or 31, or both become broken or defective, replacement is possible by unscrewing stem 33 from head 32 and substituting a perfect head 32 with coating, or a perfect sleeve or coating 31, as the case may be. portions of means 30, the upper end of stem 33, above sleeve or coating 31, is forked to provide upstanding spaced ears 38, provided with transversely extending aligned openings 39.

The means 30 comprises a lever 40 having handle 4| and a pivotal connection 42 with wall ll substantially midway of its height; a bridging lever 43 detachably pivoted at one end to body 5 adjacent its side opposite to lever 40, as by bolt 44 carried by upstanding spaced ears 45 on the rim l4 of body 5, this lever 43 being pivoted intermediate its ends to valve stem 33 between the ears 38, as by pivot pin 46 in openings 39, and extend- To accommodate ing outwardly as at 4! beyond the body 5 above lever 40 and, a link 48 pivotally connected to the extended portion 41 of lever 43, as at 49, and to an intermediate portion of lever 40 as at 50.

In order that lever 43 may cooperate with means 3i, I provide a longitudinally extending slot 5| in lever 43 adjacent link 48.

The means 3| comprises upstanding spaced guides 52 on rim l4 of body 5, between which lever 43 moves, and one or more pins 53 adapted to extend thru selected opposite perforations 54 of a series 55 of such perforations formed in each guide 52. Thus, as shown in Figure 2, the pin 53 is in the lowermost opposite perforations 54 of the series 45 and extends thru slot 5| so as to prevent movement of the valve 29 from a seated position. In Figure 3, the pin 53 is located in the third opposite perforations 54 above the rim I4, so the lever 43 contacts pin 53 to limit the extent to which the valve 29 may be lifted, (and I consequently the rate of flow of hot metal from the ladle) responsive to means 38. If desired, the pin 53 may be extended thru the second opposite perforations 54 above rim l4 and thru slot 5! to hold the valve 29 open and relieve the attendant of the necessity of holding lever 49 raised.

The means 30 and 3| are inexpensive to manufacture, remain in good repair for a considerable length of time, and promote safety in foundry plants.

Valuable time is often lost in the building of ladles, especially where refractory brick is used to provide the linings. The present invention enables the lining to be molded in one piece in a mold that is interposed between the refractory lining and body of the ladle to facilitate separation of the two, in the event the lining becomes damaged or defective and must be replaced. It is to be understood that if the coating of valve 29 becomes broken or defective, the head 32 or stem 33, or both, may be recoated and need not be discarded.

I claim:

1. In transporting equipment for molten metal, the combination of a ladle provided with an outlet port at its lower portion, a valve including a head for said port and a stem extending upwardly therefrom, means for operating said valve including a hand lever pivoted to the side of the ladle, and link and lever mechanism operatively connecting said hand lever and valve stem to open and close the port by manipulation of the hand lever, including a lever bridging said ladle and pivoted to said valve, and means for selectively holding said last mentioned means against operation when the valve is closed, or limiting the extent to which said link and lever mechanism may be operated for control of the rate of flow of molten metal from the bucket;

including an upstanding guide, carried by said ladle, provided with a plurality of vertically spaced-apart perforations, and a removable pin extending thru any one of said perforations and in contact with an edge of the lever bridging said ladle.

2. A ladle for molten metal comprising an outer metallic shell including an inverted frusto-conical wall portion and a bottom, said bottom provided with a port; an inner one piece lining of refractory material including an inverted frustoconical wall portion and a bottom, said lining nesting in the metallic shell and said lining bottom provided with a port open to said port in the shell bottom; and a tin mold comprising a wall portion and a bottom interposed between the wall portions and bottoms, respectively, of said shell and lining, the said mold bottom provided with an opening at said ports.

3. A ladle for molten metal comprising an outer metallic'shell including an inverted frusto-conical wall portion and a bottom, said bottom provided with a port; an inner one piece lining of refractory material including an inverted frustoconical wall portion and a bottom, said lining nesting in the metallic shell and said lining bottom provided with a port open to said port in the shell bottom; a tin mold comprising a wall portion and a bottom interposed between the wall portions and bottoms, respectively of said shell and lining, the said'mold bottom provided with an Opening at said ports, and a retaining ring detachably secured to the upper portion of said metallic shell and located over the rim of said lining.

4. A ladle for molten metal comprising an outer metallic shell including an inverted frusto-conical Wall portion and a bottom, an inner one piece lining of refractory material including an inverted frusto-conical wall portion and a bottom, said lining nesting in said metallic shell; :3, tin mold comprising a wall portion and a bottom interposed between the wall portions and bottoms, respectively, of said shell and lining; and, a retaining ring detachably secured to the upper portion of said metallic shell and located over the rim of said lining.

5. A ladle for molten metal comprising an outer metallic shell including an inverted frusto-conical wall portion and a bottom; a tin mold comprising an inverted frusto-conical wall portion of a height substantially equal to and nesting against the inner face of said shell wall portion, and a bottom resting upon said shell bottom; a lining of refractory material formed in said mold short of the upper margin thereof; and a retaining ring detachably secured to the upper portion of said metallic shell and located over the rim of said refractory lining and inwardly of the upper portion of said mold.

6. In a ladle provided with an inverted frustoconical port in its bottom, a valve structure for said ladle including a metallic head of inverted conical shape; a metallic stem detachably secured to said head in upstanding relation thereto; a first coating of refractory material enveloping said head and the lower portion of said stem; and a second coating of refractory material enveloping at least a portion of said stem above said first coating.

EDWARD H. WHITTAKER. 

